This morning at about 8AM there was a Merlin in north Berkeley, perched near Hinkel Park and then in flight towards Tilden. Photos for id purposes: https://www.flickr.com/photos/99583878@N06/507850402

Yesterday I saw and photographed a pair of Red Crossbills on restricted EBMUD land (no trail access, sorry) in the conifers on the east side of the San Pablo Reservoir. The pair, one male and the othe

Yesterday at the Tilden Nature Area Black-headed Grosbeaks were singing loudly from multiple places, but especially by Wildcat Creek Trail in the vicinity of Jewel Lake. When they arrive they have to

I think it is not clear yet whether the Governor's order will be consistent or inconsistent with the earlier county orders that explicitly do allow some outdoor activities as long as proper social dis

Birders, This morning at approximately 10:30AM, I saw what I believe to be a Cassin’s Finch at the Tilden Botanical Gardens. It was sitting on a tree top near the center of the Garden. It had the dist

This morning at about 9:30AM I saw at least three, perhaps as many as five, FOS Townsend's Warblers in the pines on both sides of the Seaview Trail in the Vollmer Peak area of Tilden Regional Park. Ph

There are three different sightings mentioned briefly here, all at Jewel Lake. 1. Alan Kaplan led another excellent GGAS walk yesterday, which led to some terrific views of Pygmy Nuthatches. Here are

Friday at Arrowhead Marsh (MLK Regional Shoreline) Dunlins, Short-billed Dowitchers and Spotted Sandpipers were still present and in breeding plumages, making them somewhat easier to identify (Dunlins

Earlier this morning on the UC Berkeley Peregrine Falcon nest, there were only two eggs. But at 11:38AM I saw clearly a third egg, just as Alan Fish correctly predicted last night at the GGAS talk. Ne

Tuesday at the Richmond Marina the Snow Goose with the 8 Greater White-fronted Geese continue in the lawn areas. At Miller-Knox, two Eurasian Wigeons continue in the pond. Also, the Black Oystercatche

At 10:50 this morning, I found and photographed the continuing Summer Tanager at Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. It was in the oaks about 10 yards down the trail from the bench at the first view p

At 1PM today (Tuesday), there was a lone Cackling Goose on the grass above the beach at Lake Anza. There were also 8 Common Mergansers on the Lake. Cackling Goose: https://www.flickr.com/photos/995838

Yesterday at 11:30AM there was a White-Throated Sparrow foraging just outside the northwest corner of the EBMUD Valle Vista Staging area. Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/99583878@N06/45294570831/

During Alan Kaplan’s GGAS walk by the Tilden Nature Area and Jewel Lake, there was also a juvenile Cedar Waxwing perched under the Pacific-Slope Flycatcher. Cedar Waxwings are somewhat unusual for thi

Yesterday along the Seaborg Trail at Briones I saw my FOS Fox Sparrow (about 20 yards west of the junction with the Crescent Ridge Trail). They usually begin arriving in Contra Costa in September (one

Two Baird's Sandpipers were (still) at the West County Wastewater Plant in Richmond this afternoon, observed from 4:30-4:45PM. Of the four eastern-most pools (those closest to Richmond Parkway), they

I was birding yesterday morning at EBMUD's Valle Vista (permit required) and saw my first Townsend's Warbler of the season off of the Redwood Trail (the loop that starts uphill from the Staging Area a

Yesterday morning at about 10AM there was an immature female Hermit Warbler in the conifers along the Seaview Trail in the Vollmer Peak area (the relatively flat portion of the trail). A photo of it i

Yesterday morning in Oakley I birded Marsh Creek Trail from E. Cypress Road north to the junction with Big Break Regional Trail and followed the latter west for 1 mile before returning. My realized ho

A Black-headed Grosbeak (my FOS) was singing nicely near Jewel Lake (between the Nature Center and the Lake) in Tilden Park this morning. Good birding, Lee Friedman